Famous Clarendon Park Folk: Joe Orton, Playwright

Just recently I have become aware of a few famous (or famous-ish) folk connected with Clarendon Park in some way. I thought it might make an interesting series, so here is the first. Joe Orton (1933-1967), born John Kingsley Orton, spent the first two years of his life living with parents William and Elsie at 261 Avenue Road Extension before moving to Saffron Lane estate.

After leaving school, Joe started work as a junior clerk. Sometime around 1949 he began to be interested in the theatre and joined a number of dramatic societies, including the prestigious Leicester Dramatic Society. He successfully applied for a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in November 1950. There Joe met Kenneth Halliwell. They quickly became lovers.

After graduating, both Orton and Halliwell went into regional repertory work and wrote novels, which remained unpublished. From 1963 he began to have success with radio plays and later at the theatre, including Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1964), Loot 1964) What the Butler Saw. Joe’s work became synonymous with the macabre.

On 9 August 1967, Halliwell bludgeoned 34-year-old Orton to death at his home in London, with nine hammer blows to the head, and then committed suicide with an overdose of tablets. Orton had wanted to end their relationship.

The new Leicester Theatre, Curve, has a new pedestrian concourse outside the theatre’s main entrance named “Orton Square.”

I have paraphrased this article from Wikipedia, where you can read the full article. Unfortunately I can’t include a photograph of 261 Avenue Road Extension, because when I visited on Sunday it didn’t appear to have one. 259 yes, 263 also yes, but unless it is behind the two houses in the manner of Platform 9 and three-quarters, there is no 261. I will see if I can find out about renumberings. More famous Clarendon Park residents some other time – regards, Elizabeth.